


Moments of Truth

by ElegantButler



Category: Max Headroom (TV)
Genre: Frigid, Gay, M/M, Romance, hard-to-get
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-19 19:10:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 10,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11904324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElegantButler/pseuds/ElegantButler
Summary: Ben Cheviot wants the perfect family for the sake of honor. But his gay grandson, jake, wants to live his own life.





	1. First Meeting

Max Headroom  
Moments of Truth

 

Eighteen-year-old Jake Cheviot was not happy. His grandfather, Ben, was Network 23’s Chairman of the Board. It was a prestigious position which put the Cheviot family under intense public scrutiny. So Ben Cheviot wanted what he thought of as a wholesome family with good old-fashioned values.

So it was, when Jake had come out to his family, that Ben was far from pleased.

“I don’t care what you do in secret,” he told his grandson. “But for the sake of this family, you will take a wife. And that is final.”

“When I find a good husband,” Jake had replied, “I will marry him. I will not marry some female I do not love. Not even for your outdated family honor nonsense.”

That conversation had taken place a week ago. 

Now Jake stood in the doorway of Network 23’s cafeteria. The room had been redecorated to look like a fancy ballroom. At one table sat his grandfather with five admittedly pretty girls around Jake’s age.

An hour earlier, Jake’s father had come to the living room while he was watching a talk show on World One. Jake had stopped watching Network 23 after the row with his grandfather.

“Your grandfather wants to see you.”

“The feeling is not mutual.”

“Jake, the man is old. It wouldn’t hurt to remember that. His generation is just very old-fashioned.”

“I’m sure he just wants to try to pressure me to see things his way.”

“Would it hurt to just try to understand? I’m not saying you should agree with him. Just talk with him.”

“You don’t think I have to agree, but he does,” Jake had said as he followed his father to the car.

Now Jake was very angry. Apparently the whole thing had been a set-up. It was clear that his grandfather had no intention of talking things through. The girls had obviously been called in as a selection of wives to choose from.

Turning away from the door before anyone could notice him, he waited for the lift. When it didn’t come, he headed down the stairs. He was several floors down when he noticed the numeral 13 on the level marker.

Curious, since there was no thirteenth floor listed on lift buttons he’d seen earlier, he opened the level door and stepped through.

Walking down the corridor, he soon came to a door with a sign above it which read “Complaints Department”. Pulling on it, he soon discovered it was a fake door. 

“So grandfather doesn’t listen to viewer complaints either,” he noted, sounding not at all surprised. 

He turned and found himself facing another door. The sign above this one read “Research and Development”. This one had a keypad lock on the entry. So it was possible that someone did actually work here.

Jake was about to knock when the door slid open. He stepped through and was surprised to see a boy not much younger than himself sitting alone at a computer.

Well, not completely alone.

“We’ve got com-com-company,” Max Headroom said from the screen he was currently occupying.

Bryce spun in his seat and stood up in shock. “How did you get in here?” he demanded, not happy that his private space had been so easily invaded.

“Max must’ve let me in,” Jake shrugged.

Bryce turned and glared at Max who was wearing a cat-ate-the-canary grin on his face.

“Max! This is my private home! You can’t just invite…”

“You live here?” Jake asked, sounding mortified. “What about your family? Don’t you have a real home?”

“I’ve lived here since I was twelve,” Bryce shot back. “It’s as real a home as I’ve got; And as for family, they haven’t bothered contacting me since I was ten.”

He didn’t bother adding that he also hadn’t bothered making contact.

Jake stared at him, wondering how he should react to that. Finally, he held out a hand which Bryce ignored. Instead of being put off, he lowered his hand and smiled.

“Jake Cheviot,” he introduced himself.   
“Bryce Lynch,” the younger teen replied. “And I’m rather busy. Your grandfather has me up to my ears in trying to find ways to keep viewers tuned to this network. Plus Edison Carter is constantly interrupting me with projects he needs help on.”

“You must be fairly smart, then,” Jake sounded moderately impressed. This Bryce was not only cute but intelligent, too. Jake decided he wouldn’t mind courting him.

“Would you like to go out to Know Chow and grab a bite to eat?” he asked.

“I’m busy,” Bryce reminded him.

“My grandfather’s requests can wait,” Jake shrugged. “He really shouldn’t be controlling your every hour. Besides, I think you’re cute and I’d like to take you out for dinner.”

“So this would be what people call a date?” Bryce asked, suspiciously.

“If you like, yes.”

“I’m really not interested in forming an emotional relationship,” Bryce explained. “Becoming emotionally involved with anybody would be detrimental to my concentration.”

“So you find me distracting?” Jake raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Bryce admitted. “I mean no. I find emotions to be distracting. Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to do.”

“Then I bid you good day,” Jake said. “But my offer of dinner remains.”

 

Bryce watched him go, then turned back to the screen where Max was frowning at him.

“You really should- should- should go out with him him,” Max offered. “He was cute.”

“Max, that’s hardly an appropriate use of my time.” 

“You need to think of more things than just work all the time,”

Bryce rolled his eyes. “I do. I’ve got my research to consider. Not to mention…”

“You do enough research,” Max pointed out. “You need to relax-lax-lax. I can stop the lift and bring him back-back- back.”

“Max. Just drop it.” Bryce said, firmly.

“Okay. But you really should reconsider.”


	2. CONVERSATIONS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ben Cheviot demands answers from his grandson Jake, Max Headroom tries to make Bryce reconsider his refusal of Jake's offer.

“Where were you?” Ben Cheviot demanded as he walked into his grandson’s room that evening. “I waited for an hour for you. You were supposed to come to Network 23.”

“Maybe I didn’t feel like being manipulated,” Jake retorted.

Ben wondered if his grandson had been at Network 23. Had he seen the girls that Ben had intended to introduce him to?

“Were you there?”

“I was. And I am not Prince Charming! So you can forget your royal ball idea! I can’t believe you would try to pull… on second thought yes I can! Grandfather, I intend to live my own life. If you can’t accept that, I’m sorry. Anyhow, I’ve already found someone I like.”

“Oh? Who?”

“Why do you want to know? So you can bribe him to reject me?” Jake didn’t bother to tell Ben that Bryce hadn’t exactly given him a warm welcome.

“The Cheviot family is a very public entity,” Ben told his grandson. “Our reputation…”

“Our reputation? The only reputation you care about is that of your precious Network 23!”

 

While Ben was chastising his grandson, and being chastised in return, a very different conversation was taking place at Network 23.

“I don’t see why you don’t want to go out with J-J-Jake,” Max whined. “He is cute! And I know you have a thing for g-g-guys. You’ve moaned Edison’s name in your sleep sleep sleep.”

“It was an aberration,” Bryce pointed out. “I normally don’t dream. Anyhow, it was a nightmare about Security Systems. I almost died there, remember?”

“In Edison’s arms-arms-arms,” Max smirked. 

“That was for body heat. And if I were moaning out Edison’s name, I would hardly go out with someone I just met and not Edison.”

“Edison is not going to date a sixteen-teen-teen year old b-b-boy,” Max pointed out. “Even if you are considered an adult in this city. He’s got this thing for ladies. Ladies.”

Bryce sighed. “So what was the point of teasing me about Edison if he’s not going to even want me in the first place?”

“I’m just point out to you that Ed-Ed-Edison, whom you seem to have feelings for, at least deep down, is not int-int-interested. So you’re free to accept and d-d-d-date with Jake. Jake.”

“Not interested,” Bryce told him as he disappeared into the bedroom alcove. “Good night!”


	3. A Chat With Max

CHAPTER 03: A CHAT WITH MAX

Jake decided to put on Network 23 that night. He was hoping he would be able to talk to Max about Bryce.

Max and Bryce seemed to be friends. So Jake felt that Max would have the most information on how he might succeed in winning over the austere genius.

Lumpy’s Proletariat was playing. It was one of Jake’s least favorite shows. A comedy about the working class, it was very forgettable. Jake was pretty sure most people put it on as background noise while they were doing other things.

He wondered what Bryce liked to watch when he wasn’t working or doing research. He flopped down on his stomach in bed and stared at the patterns on his bedspread. This was getting boring. He had half a mind to visit Bryce. No, he decided. That would be rude. And rudeness was no way to win a frozen heart.

“I need to find out what made him so cold,” he told himself. “Until I can find the reason, I can’t get past the barrier he’s put around his heart.”

“Hi! Hi! This is Max Head-Head-Headroom coming to you live and direct on Network 23. We’ll be back to Lumpy’s Proletariat as soon as I’ve finished t-t-talking. Let’s pray I’ve got a lot-lot-lot to talk about-bout.”

Jake chuckled. As usual, Max Headroom was in touch with the pulse of the viewing audience, even if the rest of the network wasn’t.

“Good one, Max!”

“Ah! Ah! Jake Cheviot!” Max said, focusing on Jake’s set and presumably allowing some ad, or heaven forbid Lumpy’s Proletariat, to play on the rest of the screens that were tuned to Network 23.

“Tell me, Max,” Jake said in a conspiratorial voice, “how much do you know about Bryce Lynch?”

“Trying to find a weak-weak-weakness in the ice?” Max raised a barely noticeable eyebrow.

“I’m trying to find out why it’s there in the first place,” Jake told him. “Something must’ve happened to him when he was a child.”

“I think ACS happened to-to-to him,” Max mused. “The Academy isn’t known for its embracing of emotional behav-hav-havior.”

“Great,” Jake rolled onto his back and sighed. “How am I supposed to get through that?”

“I’ll do what I can-can-can to help,” Max offered. “I don’t like seeing Bryce alone.”


	4. A Dangerous Moment

CHAPTER 04: A DANGEROUS MOMENT

Ben Cheviot sat in his home office in front the view phone screen. A mean-looking man of about forty was on the screen. 

“Parker,” Cheviot said, “My grandson has found himself a boyfriend.”

“Good for him,” Parker grumbled. “What’s that got to do with me?”

“Parker, you know full well that this family’s reputation directly affects the reputation of Network 23,” Cheviot said doing his best to rein in his anger. “Now I will find a wife for my grandson and they will raise a family. That is what is best for this family and Network 23.”

“And the boy?” Parker asked.

“Do whatever you have to. Just make sure he’s out of my grandson’s life.”

“Whatever I have to?” Parker raised an eyebrow.

“No killing,” Cheviot explained. “I won’t be a party to murder. Just scare him off.”

Parker nodded.

 

Miles Parker was not as brilliant as Bryce or his former classmates from ACS. But he did know his way around the System. In time, he tracked down Jake Cheviot’s TV and linked into the securicam files for his room.

Miles ran the files until he discovered that Jake had been chatting with Max Headroom. 

“This could be informative,” he told himself as he stopped rewinding the footage and listened carefully.

“...much do you know about Bryce Lynch?” the footage of Jake asked.

“Bryce Lynch,” Miles Parker mused. He looked Bryce up and was rather surprised to find that he lived at Network 23. 

Changing into a dark suit, he decided it was time to pay Bryce Lynch a little visit.

 

Bryce finished his final project of the evening. It was getting late and he’d worked longer than he’d intended. Muttering a soft curse under his breath for missing the Scumball game, he decided to take a bath and then head off to bed for the night. Or at least until some new idea roused him from his sleep.

Fetching his night clothes and bathrobe he walked into the bathroom. He hung his stuff on the back of the door and took down his towel. Then he ran a not-too-hot bath and got undressed, lowering himself carefully into the water.

He lie back in the tub, his ears and hair beneath the surface of the water, and concentrated on the fibonacci sequence, which was his favorite mental exercise. He was so focused on what he was doing that he didn’t hear Parker enter his studio. He continued to be blissfully unaware of Parker’s presence until the older man suddenly plunged Bryce’s head under the water.

Bryce suddenly snapped into panic mode, kicking and thrashing as he tried to push Parker’s hands away from his face.

Parker let him up for a moment, holding him by the hair as Bryce’s fists beat frantically against any part of him they could reach.

Then Parker plunged him back under the water, holding him down until the thrashing stopped. When Bryce was quiet, Parker pulled him back up, smiling coldly down at him as Bryce coughed and panted in fear. 

“Stay away from Jake Cheviot,” Parker warned. “Or next time I won’t quit until you stop moving permanently.”

“I am not interested in Jake Cheviot,” Bryce pointed out, his voice both frightened and angry. He was also no longer interested in working for Jake’s grandfather. All of his trust and respect for Ben Cheviot had left him as soon as he’d discovered who was responsible for his nearly being drowned.

Parker smiled. “I’d suggest you keep being ‘not interested’ for your sake. 

He turned and walked out, satisfied that he’d done his job well.


	5. Bryce Takes a Walk

CHAPTER 05: BRYCE TAKES A WALK

Bryce hardly slept that night. Each time his eyes closed, the face of Parker swam dizzyingly in his head.

At four in the morning, he finally gave up and got out of bed.

“I can’t believe Cheviot tried to have me killed,” he muttered to himself as he changed out of his nightclothes. “Well, I’m not working for him any longer. He can find another genius to take advantage of.”

He was on his way out the door when Max spoke up.

“G-g-going somewhere? Hmmm?”

Bryce stopped and went over to Max’s box, hooking it up to the TV. “Get in. Hurry up.”

Max transferred himself into his travel box which Bryce disconnected from the Network.  
He was worried about Bryce and wanted to keep tabs on the young genius. He hadn’t seen the attack. Did not know Bryce’s reason for taking off in the early hours of the morning, before daylight had even begun.

Closing Max’s box, Bryce left his studio for what he intended to be the last time. He took the service lift to the basement then carefully made his way up through the carpark to the street level entrance.

Careful not to let anyone see him, he considered which direction to head in for a brief moment. Then deciding on left, he headed up the road, not bothering to look back on the place that he had thought of as home until this moment.

He wasn’t sure where he was going to go. Blank Bruno was out of the question. The man might have Bryce’s best interests in mind, having once been his teacher. But Bryce was sure he’d tell Edison or Cheviot that Bryce was there. And Bryce had no intention of ever setting foot back inside Network 23.

“Bryce?”

Bryce turned, slightly awkwardly since he was carrying Max’s box which was a bit bulky. 

“Jake?” Bryce backed away, not wanting to risk being seen with the boy who he’d been told to keep away from under pain of death.

“Bryce? Why are you backing away? I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I can’t be seen with you,” Bryce told him, fearfully. “Don’t follow me!”

Jake watched helplessly as Bryce fled as fast as he could with his burden. He wanted to follow, but something, perhaps the terror in Bryce’s voice, told him not to.

“Now what was that all about, I wonder?” Jake mused as he turned and headed back the way he’d come. He’d wanted to see Bryce. Had even brought along a white rose to give to the young genius. Now he waited at a stoplight, examining the rose as he remembered the panic in Bryce’s eyes and wondered what it meant.


	6. Where To Go

CHAPTER 06: WHERE TO GO

 

It didn’t take long for exhaustion to catch up with Bryce. Lack of sleep, plus lugging around Max’s box, soon took its toll on him. He continued walking, albeit much more slowly and with little sense of direction.

After a short time, he found himself in the Fringes. The dangerous rim of the city where the Blanks lived out their meager lives.

The Blanks were a mixed crowd. Some, like Blank Reg, were mostly good, with a small violent streak. Others, like Breughal, were a right nasty bunch.

Bryce, an innocent in terms of street life, would be easy pickings for the wrong type. And he was too tired and unfocused to know where he was.

The sound of nearby footsteps did not penetrate his sleep-deprived mind as he began to sway on his feet as he continued to stagger like a drunken man deeper into the Fringes.

“Bryce!”

He kept walking as the unheard footfalls drew nearer.

“Bryce! Stop right there!”

Bryce continued not to hear the calls. He was half-asleep at this point, almost somnambulating. 

A hand touched his shoulder, another carefully taking Max’s box before Bryce could drop it.

“What the hell are you doing out here?” demanded Blank Bruno.

Bruno had spent five years teaching at the Academy of Computer Sciences before he’d become disenchanted with the tech world. Becoming a Blank had not been easy at first. ACS had paid well, and Bruno had had a nice apartment at Syberus Condos.

Bryce had been one of his students back then. Bruno had always been proud of him as well as a few others who seemed to shine in their work. But he’d also always been worried about Bryce. The boy had never contacted his family. Had avoided any emotional relationships. 

One girl, Jenny, had managed to forge what Bruno would call a detached relationship with him. But had got no further. 

Another thing that worried Bruno was Bryce’s inability to scent danger. Sheltered from it for all of his life, he had no way of knowing when it was growing near.

“Bryce?”

Bruno shook Bryce, trying to get through to him. 

“Bryce! Wake up!”

“Huh?” Bryce blinked as if clearing the sleep from his mind. “Sir?”

“Let’s get back to my place where it’s safe. Then you can tell me why you’re walking around the Fringes like you’re looking for a place to sleep.”

“Max!” Bryce cried out, realizing his hand was no longer grasping the handle of the box.

“I’ve got Max,” Bruno told him. “Though Network 23 is going to go ape when they find the two of you gone.”

“Cheviot won’t miss me,” Bryce said as he allowed Bruno to lead him back to the old warehouse that Bruno had converted into a home. Too tired to worry about what he was telling the middle-aged man, he added. “Cheviot wants me dead, anyhow.”

.


	7. What To Do

CHAPTER 07: WHAT TO DO

Blank Bruno set Max’s box down on the floor just inside the front door of his makeshift apartment and led Bryce over to the sofa.

It was far from comfortable in Bruno’s eyes. But Bryce was so exhausted that as soon as he lay down upon it, he was fast asleep.

Bruno fetched a coarse blanket from his bed and covered Bryce. Then, he hooked Max’s box up to his computer and waited for the AI to link up.

“Finally! Finally!” Max said sounding relieved. “I was won-won-wondering how long I was going to be st-st-stuck in there.”

“Max, why did Bryce leave Network 23?” Bruno asked.

“And that’s the fif-fif-fifty thousand dollar ques-ques-question!” 

“Do you have an answer?” 

“Sadly no,” Max admitted. “I was with Edison last night, so whatever hap-hap-happened is not in my data bank-bank-banks.”

“Max, can you pull up the securicam files for Bryce’s studio from last night?”

Bruno looked over at the teenager sleeping on his sofa.

The footage came up a moment later. It was dark and a little hard to see.

“Enhance,” Bruno ordered.

Max lightened the footage a little. 

Bruno watched the footage which showed Bryce working on his latest project. He smiled for a second. “Fast forward.”

The footage sped up eventually showing Bryce going into the bathroom. The time continued to pass and Bruno figured Bryce must’ve been bathing. Then another figure entered the studio. It wasn’t anyone on Edison’s team.

 

“Stop the footage,” he commanded.

Max paused the scene.

“Max is that a new Network 23 employee?” Bruno asked, hoping some stranger hadn’t just snuck into the Network and happened to come upon Bryce’s studio.

Max checked the employee roster.

“No,” he sound, concern creeping into his voice. He continued the footage, giving a little snarl when the figure entered Bryce’s bathroom. A moment later, the sounds of a struggle could be heard.

“The bas-bas-bastard attacked Bryce!” Max was furious.

“Backtrack him,” Bruno commanded. “Find out where the son of a bitch came from.”


	8. A Tender Moment

CHAPTER 08: A TENDER MOMENT

“I can tell you where he’s from,” said a voice from the door.

Bruno was on his feet in a second, pinning the intruder against the wall. “How did you get in here?”

“You left the door open,” the boy said simply.

Bruno released him. “Now, who are you and what do you know?”

“Jake Cheviot,” Jake introduced himself. “I’m afraid my grandfather sent that man to rough the poor kid up a a bit.”

“Why would Cheviot want to rough up one of his own employees?” Bruno asked, trying to make sense of it.

“He wants to keep us apart,” Jake explained, sitting on the sofa next to Bryce who was still asleep, and gazing down at the object of his affection.

“You love him,” Bruno realized.

“I just wish he loved me back,” Jake sighed. “He’s not very affectionate.”

“Maybe you should kiss him. Kiss him?” Max suggested.

Jake gazed at Bryce, The idea was tempting. Could he awaken Bryce’s long-dormant emotions so easily?

He looked up at Bruno. “Should I?” he asked. 

Bruno smirked. He rather liked the idea of someone showing Bryce a little affection. The young genius could use a little tenderness in his life. He gave a brief nod, then went over to his computer to distract Max for a bit.

Jake leaned over and whispered. “I shall always protect you,” as he placed a tender kiss upon Bryce’s lips.

Bryce’s eyes flew open as Jake pulled back.

“You!” he exclaimed. “How did you know where I was?”

“At first I wasn’t going to follow you,” Jake told him. “But then I decided I couldn’t let you go without first telling you how I felt. Now I can’t let you go.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Bryce told him.

“I was so angry at my grandfather for what almost happened to you that I went to Network 66 and got their help to track you down,” Jake admitted. “Jenny was very helpful. Especially when I told her why I needed to find you.”

Bryce let out a small huff.

“Well you’ve found me,” Bryce remarked. “Mind telling me why you felt the need to kiss me?”

“Because I love you,” Jake explained, gently.

Bryce didn’t quite know how to process that bit of information.

“Why?” he asked. “It’s not logical.”

“Bryce,” Bruno told him from over by the computer. “There’s more to life than just logic. Look at Max. He’s a computer, but he’s not logical all the time, is he?”

“Max is hardly ever logical,” Bryce admitted.

“Illog-Illog-Illogical and proud,” Max beamed at them.

“What I’m trying to illustrate here, is that if you have affectionate feelings for someone, it’s okay. Love isn’t supposed to make sense.”

Bryce pondered the idea for a moment.

“I think I need more data,” he mused.

Jake kissed him again.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 09: AN OFFER

Bruno made them all some breakfast.

“I don’t usually have company first thing in the morning,” he said, by way of apology. “So I hope you like biscuits and coffee.”

“What happened to your pet frog?” Bryce asked, suddenly realizing that he hadn’t seen the amphibian all morning.

Bruno frowned a moment, then gave a sad little smile.

“Pet food hasn’t been easy to come by, so I had to take him down to the pond and let him go.” He explained. “Which reminds me, don’t you have a pet parrot at Network 23?”

Bryce shook his head. “Cheviot confiscated him.”

Jake looked at him sympathetically. “Bryce,” he added as Bruno brought over the biscuits and they sat together on the sofa. “I don’t want you living at Network 23 anymore. It sounds to me like you’re dealing with borderline abuse. I’m going to get an apartment in the city. I want you to move in with me.”

“I can’t,” Bryce said, fearfully. “If Cheviot found out, he’d have me killed on the spot!”

“I told you,” Jake reminded him, “I will always protect you.”

“Do you have a place in mind?” Bruno asked him.

“I’ve already filled out the paperwork,” Jake told him. “It’s in a safe location, not far from Zik Zak’s Know Clothes department store.”

Bruno chuckled at Zik Zak’s use of suggestive puns. 

“How will you pay for it?” Bryce asked. “I can’t go back to Network 23, and your grandfather is probably going to cut you off when you don’t marry the girl of his choice.”

“I’ve got a job lined up at the department store I mentioned,” Jake shrugged. “Being a Cheviot does have some rewards.”

“Name dropper,” Bruno laughed.

“Hey, if it means I can get away from my overbearing family…” Jake shrugged. 

“And your landlord?” Bryce asked.

“I told him I might be moving in a boyfriend.”

“That was rather presumptuous of you,” Bryce commented.

“I wanted to make sure he’d be okay with you,” Jake explained. “Besides, I only said might.”

Bryce finished the rest of his meal in silent contemplation. He didn’t really have a choice, he reflected. Blank Bruno wasn’t going to let him stay in the Fringes. And if he went to Big Time, Reg and Dom would probably call for Edison.

Not to mention that Jake had offered him both protection and love. 

He smiled as he reached his decision and finished his coffee.


	10. A Decision Made

CHAPTER 10: A DECISION MADE

“I think I will move in with you,” Bryce told Jake. 

Jake smiled. “My love. You won’t regret it. I promise.”

Bryce smiled a little at the term of endearment.

“Well,” Bruno said, “That’s settled then.”

Jake nodded and finished his biscuits. 

 

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Edison demanded back at Network 23. 

Murray made a calming gesture. “Edison, don’t get all riled up.”

“Murray! Bryce has already been endangered once. Don’t tell me not to get all riled up! He’s out there somewhere in a world he’s been sheltered from for most of his life. He’s not safe, Murray! I’ve got to go find him!”

“Cheviot wants you to cover the Scumball game,” Murray told him.

“Bryce is in terrible danger and you want me to cover a sports event?” Edison nearly exploded. “Murray, I know you aren’t fond of Bryce. But I can’t believe you’d put an assignment that Angie Barry could do in her sleep before his safety.”

“I told Cheviot you’d say something like that,” Murray admitted.

 

Jake led Bryce through the Fringes, steering him clear of the more dangerous zones.

“How do you know the Fringes so well?” Bryce asked.

“When I went to school, I used to take a shortcut through here,” Jake told him. “After a few close calls, I began to recognize people and places that were a danger. So I learned their habits and how to avoid them.”

They reached the city and Bryce recognized the area. It was the same part of the city that Edison Carter lived in.

“It’s nice here,” he admitted. “You know, I…”

Bryce went quiet as Jake led him up the stairs of the building where Edison lived.

“What’s wrong?” Jake asked.

“Edison lives here,” Bryce told him. “I can’t stay here. He’ll drag me back to Network 23.”

“No, he won’t,” Jake assured him. “When he finds out why you left, he’ll know that the safest place you can be now is with me.”

Jake unlocked the apartment door and led Bryce inside.

“Well, this is your new home,” he said, cheerfully. “What do you think?”

Bryce’s gaze swept over the living room and kitchen areas. There was a small table near the wall where the two rooms met. 

The walls were a light blue with white trim and medium sized windows that let in plenty of light. The refrigerator and stove were of a matching light bluish grey color and the counters and overhead cupboards were matching oak with a blue and white formica top to the countertops. The floor was done in light and medium brown wood parquet.

The living room was dominated by a large screen TV. In front of the set was a small white loveseat and coffee table with a glass top, which was also white. In the corner was a small desk, just large enough for a computer with a swivel chair beside it.

“It looks great,” Bryce told Jake. 

“There are two bedrooms,” Jake explained. “There’s a double bed and a dresser in each. One can be converted into a small lab if you ever decide you’re ready to share a bed.”

Bryce looked at him in confusion.

Jake smiled, affectionately.

“Now that you’ve seen the place, why don’t we relax for a few hours and watch television. We’ll go out shopping for a new wardrobe for you later this afternoon.”


	11. To Edison's Surprise

CHAPTER 11: TO EDISON’S SURPRISE

“Any luck?” Edison asked as Theora tried to locate Bryce and Max.

“Nothing,” Theora replied. “I just hope they’re okay.”

“You don’t suppose he went over to Network 66, do you?” Murray suggested. “I mean he did almost jump ship before.”

“I don’t think Bryce would make the same mistake a second time,” Edison said. 

“Of c-c-course he wouldn’t,” Max told them.

“Max!” Theora exclaimed, very much relieved.

“Is Bryce with you?” Edison asked.

Max nodded.

“Is he safe?”

“Yep-p-p-p,” Max assured him.

“Thank goodness,” Murray breathed.

“Murray!” Edison said in surprise.

“Where is he?” Theora asked.

“He and his boyfriend just moved to a…”

“Boyfriend!” the three present members of the team who were not computer-generated exclaimed.

“J-j-Jake Cheviot,” Max explained.

“I thought his grandfather was setting up a meeting with a girl he thought Jake would like.” Murray considered.

“Apparently Cheviot is more concerned about reputation that his grandson’s happiness.”

“The Cheviots are practically royalty, considering that the patriarch of the family runs Network 23.” Murray explained. “They’re under public scrutiny and I’m sure that’s a big concern for our Network President.”

“So what do we do about Jake and Bryce?” Theora asked. “As soon as it’s found out that they’re together, Bryce will probably be threatened again. As it stands, I doubt Bryce will be returning to Network 23.”

“I’ll talk to Bryce and Jake after work,” Edison offered. “Even if he doesn’t come back here, I


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12: NEIGHBORS

 

Edison knocked on the door of Bryce and Jake’s apartment as soon as he got home. He didn’t know anything about Jake and he intended to find out what the boy’s intentions were toward Bryce.

Theora was with him. She, too, was interested in meeting Jake.

 

Inside the apartment, Bryce and Jake looked at the security screen.

“Looks like Edison Carter’s decided to pay us a visit,” Jake remarked. “Shall we let them in, or do you want to rest for the evening?”

“Might as well get this over with,” Bryce shrugged. “I’ll answer it.”

Bryce went over to the door and pulled it open.

“Hello, Bryce,” Edison said. “Are you well?”

“I’m here of my own free will if that’s what you’re asking,” Bryce told him. “Come on in. I’ll show you around.”

Bryce gave Edison and Theora a quick tour of the apartment.

“This is my room. Jake even set up a computer area for me in the living room.”

“It’s nice,” Edison said, sounding a little relieved.

“What’s wrong?” Bryce asked. “Is it Max, because he’s more than welcome to return to Net-”

“No, it’s not that,” Edison admitted. “I was just worried that Jake might be trying to take advantage of you. I can see now that he isn’t.”

“Take advantage? You mean the way you’re always pushing me into helping you?” Bryce realized what he’d said and went pink with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Edison! I…”

“No, perhaps you’re right. Maybe I should respect you more, Bryce.” Edison gave a weak smile. “I’m sorry if you feel that way. I didn’t mean to.”

“We’ll work on it,” Bryce shrugged. “And I am willing to help you, Edison. Just try to understand, I’m not on call 24/7. I would like to have a private life.”

“Especially now,” Edison guessed.

Jake stood next to Bryce and tousled his hair. “He’s remarkable, isn’t he?”

“To say the least,” Edison said, chuckling as Bryce blushed again.

“You’re terrible!” Theora chided. Noticing a small pile of dishes in the sink, she looked at Bryce. “Come on. I’ll give you a hand in the kitchen.”

Realizing that Theora was seeking an excuse to talk alone with him, Bryce accepted her offer. This would give Edison a chance to speak seriously with Jake.

“So, you and Jake are boyfriends?” Theora asked.

“I don’t think it’s reached that stage yet,” Bryce admitted. “Though that kiss he gave me was rather pleasant. I certainly wouldn’t mind another one of those.”

“He kissed you?” Theora asked, a bit concerned. “Did he touch anything else?”

“No,” Bryce replied, sounding confused. “Why would he?”

“I think we need to talk, Bryce,” Theora told him. “Though I’m surprised that nobody at ACS ever talked about sex with it’s students. Especially given that they were being sent out into the world without their parents at such a vulnerable age.”

“They had sex-ed,” Bryce admitted. “I just skipped it in favor of study hall. I didn’t think it was important.”

Theora smiled, slightly amused but still concerned. “Let’s talk,” she offered.

 

“So, why Bryce?” Edison asked.

“Well, to be honest, he caught me off guard,” Jake admitted. “I went to Network 23 to talk to my grandfather. When I got there, however, I found that he had set up a meeting with a group of girls. I was supposed to pick a wife out of them.”

“And you obviously don’t want a wife,” Edison observed.

Jake shook his head. “Didn’t then. Don’t now. So I left before I was noticed and took the stairs to get back to street level. Imagine my surprise when I found myself on a level that isn’t even supposed to exist.”

“And you found Bryce. How did you get into his studio? Bryce rarely lets anyone in?”

“I guess Max Headroom thought I’d be a good match for Bryce,” Jake shrugged. “He let me in.”

“There was an attack on Bryce shortly after you met him,” Edison told Jake.

“No doubt arranged by my grandfather,” Jake replied. “He’s not happy that I have a boyfriend. That’s one reason I had Bryce move in with me. This way he won’t be alone at night. My room is between the entrance and his. So if….”

“WHAT?!”

Jake and Edison turned toward the kitchen at the sound of Bryce’s shriek which was followed by the sound of a pizza tray falling on the floor, fortunately without any pizza on it.

Jake hurried over to Bryce.

“You okay?” he asked.

Bryce shook his head, as if recovering from an unanswerable riddle, then nodded. “Yeah. Something Theora just told me caught me by surprise is all.”

“Sex?” Jake asked him.

“I don’t know if I can,” Bryce admitted shyly. “The way Theora mentioned it, it sounds like some people enjoy it a lot. But I think I’m too fragile.”

“We don’t have to,” Jake said. “If it frightens you, there are other ways we can share our love.”

“I never said I loved you,” Bryce reminded Jake, gazing at the older teen as if entranced. “I think I do, but I don’t know of any way to be sure. I have no basis for comparison. You’re the only one who’s ever kissed me. I’ve never been...”

“Bryce,” Edison coughed. “Theora and I are still here.”

“Perhaps we should go, Edison,” Theora offered. “I think they’ve got a few things to discuss.”

Theora led Edison out of the apartment, the front door clicking softly behind them.


	13. Lessons

CHAPTER 13: LESSONS

 

“I’ve been thinking,” Jake said, after Edison and Theora had left. “It might be a good idea for me to teach you how to defend yourself.

“So that’s one of the ways you’re going to protect me?”

“I can’t be here all the time, Bryce. And I won’t have you completely dependent on me. “For now we’ll work on the simple ways.”

“Okay,” Bryce agreed. “What do I need to do?”

Jake wrapped his arms around Bryce from behind.

“Now, let’s say someone grabs you the way I just did. Your arms are pinned and you can’t wriggle free. In this case, you bring your foot down onto your attacker’s foot as hard as you can.”

Bryce stomped on Jake’s foot, though not as hard as he would an actual attacker’s.

“Good,” Jake told him. “Now, some people might try biting their attacker’s arm. I would advise against this. One good thrust and you could lose a few teeth. But back to what I was showing you. Once you’ve stomped on their foot and they’ve loosened their grip, drive your elbow back into their stomach.”

Bryce gently elbowed Jake’s stomach, clearly not wanting to hurt the older teen.

“Let’s try that again, this time combine the two moves,” Jake told Bryce.

Bryce brought his foot down on Jake’s following up with an elbow to Jake’s stomach.

“Again!” Jake encouraged, smiling as Bryce repeated the combo, this time with a little less hesitance.

“Again!” more encouragement. Another well-executed maneuver. 

“Well done,” Jake smiled. “Now turn around.”

Bryce turned.

“If someone is blocking you and you can’t get by, grab him by the shoulders and deliver a knee to the groin. This is very effective. Just remember to use as much force as you can when dealing with an actual attacker,” Jake reminded him.

Bryce looked at him. “Thanks.”

Jake decided not to tell Bryce about the gun he’d bought. A small gun which he kept locked away in a secret drawer in his night stand. He never wanted Bryce to even hold it. Somehow, the thought of such an innocent holding any weapon seemed almost blasphemous to him. Even if it didn’t, it was also too risky. If Bryce was overcome, the gun could be used against him. No it was safer if he didn’t know.

“We’ll work on it more tomorrow when I get home from work.” Jake told Bryce. “Right now, I’d like to watch a little TV and then get some sleep.”

He sat on the sofa, Bryce sitting alongside him, and turned on Network 23. The two of them watched Lifestyles of the Poor and Pitiful for a bit before Jake gave Bryce another kiss and stood up.

 

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he told Bryce.

“Good night,” Bryce yawned in reply. “I think I’ll retire as well.”

Jake watched Bryce disappear into the second bedroom before he went into his own.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14: PLANS 

“Do you want to go to the Scumball game this weekend?” Jake asked Bryce over breakfast the next morning.

“I’ve never seen one live,” Bryce admitted. “I’ve always been busy at Network 23. 

“I’ve rescued a princess from a tower!” Jake exclaimed with a laugh.

“With a kiss no less,” Bryce returned.

“You know about fairy tales?”

“I have a little sister,” Bryce recalled. “Mom used to read them to her all the time. I always found it illogical that Snow White wouldn’t have to crouch down all the time in a cottage made for dwarves, who were obviously much shorter than she was. And why the evil Queen didn’t just cast the crone spell on Snow White if she wanted to be prettier is beyond me.”

“You analyze everything don’t you?”

“I stopped trying to analyze Edison Carter when it started giving me a headache. That man is impossible to figure out.”

Bryce took a sip of his hot cocoa and considered Jake’s suggestion.  
“Yeah,” he agreed. “The Scumball game will be fun. Which teams are playing?”

“The Centurions and the Druids,” Jake told him.

“Sounds like a good game. The Druids and the Centurions are both excellent teams.”

“Which do you want to root for?”

“The Druids!”

“I’ll pick up tickets on my way to work,” Jake said, finishing his coffee. Noticing the clock he put the cup down and kissed Bryce.

“I’ve gotta go,” he said. “I’ll see you when I get home. In the meantime, stay safe.”

“I will,” Bryce promised.

Jake departed, and Bryce contacted Max.

“How’s Edison today?”

“As cheerful as ever,” Max complained. “He only bit-bit-bitched me out twice for interrup-up-upting him. During a b-b-break.”

“That really doesn’t sound like the Edison Carter I know,” Bryce mused. “I will admit he can get obsessed with getting the news out. But I’ve never known him to be surly.”

“Are you sure you’re t-t-t-talking about the same Edison Carter?”

Bryce shrugged. “What’s he working on?”

“At the moment, nothing impor-por-portant.” Max admitted. “The newsline is dead. Nothing’s going on.”

“You mean something underhanded is going on somewhere and Edison Carter hasn’t found out about it yet?”

“What makes you say that, Bryce?” Edison asked as he appeared on the screen in place of Max.

Max squeezed himself back onto the screen so that he and Edison were sharing in it with via an angular split-screen.

“He was talking to me, flesh-face,” Max snapped.

“No fighting,” Bryce said, firmly. “All I meant is that in this city there’s always something underhanded going on. You’ve just got to find out what it is.”

“I’m glad you’re willing to help,” Edison grinned. “I’ll just leave the tracking to you. Once you’ve discovered something important, let me know. Max, give Bryce a hand, would you?”

“Hey!” Max protested. “Bryce and I are not Sh-sh-Shaggy and Scooby!”

Edison did not respond.

“Aw, come on! Nobody is less- less- less like Shaggy than Bryce here!”

“Let’s just see what we can find, Max,” Bryce suggested.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15: DISCOVERY

Bryce decided to make a call to Blank Bruno. He figured if there was something going on in the Fringes, Bruno might know about it.

“How are you and Jake doing?” Bruno asked him.

“Fine. We’re going to the Scumball game this weekend.”

“Jake’s really good for you,” Bruno observed. “So, what do you need?”

“I wanted to know what’s going on in the Fringes. Anything of interest.”

“Yes,” Bruno told him. “And the Networks aren’t going to like it.”

“What is it?” Bryce’s curiosity was piqued.

“Do you remember the old movie theater that Edison did that nostalgia piece on?”

Bryce thought about it, then realized what Bruno was getting at.

“It’s being reopened!” 

“Very soon,” Bruno told him.

“But how? Surely the Blanks can’t afford to pay copyright…” Bryce protested.

“That’s why they’re creating their own entertainment.” Bruno explained. 

“Perhaps Edison would be interested.”

Bruno shook his head. “If the Networks found out, they’d shut the place down. Network TV doesn’t like competition.”

“Perhaps the theaters could work in tandem with the Networks instead of competing with them?” Bryce suggested.

Bruno shook his head. “The Blanks want the freedom to create without censorship.”

“Surely there must be some censorship,” Bryce pointed out. “You wouldn’t show a scary movie to a six year old!”

“Of course not,” Bruno agreed. “Common sense censorship is need, we know that. We just don’t want to have to omit educational films because some politicians think it’s unseemly for Blanks to learn.”

“I can assure you Edison would never stoop so low as to stop an educational show.”

“No, Edison wouldn’t. He helped us save the printing press so we could create readers for the children of the Fringes. But that didn’t threaten the Networks’ ratings the way this could. And it won’t be just educational films either. A small group is working on a full length movie which they hope will be ready in a few weeks. Unfortunately it’s taken too long to air during the grand opening.”

“Would you mind speaking to Edison?”

Bruno looked as if he were going to refuse.

“Please? You know he won’t endanger your endeavor. He might even be able to help you.”

“Very well,” Bruno agreed. “I’ll speak with him.”


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16: TRAGIC MOMENT

 

Bryce decided that the breakfast dishes weren’t going to do themselves. He went into the kitchen. As he rinsed the plates and put them in the dishwasher, he thought he heard a noise come from the living room.

“It’s just the TV,” he told himself as he continued to work.

Drying his hands, he walked back into the living room. 

He was not alone.

The same man who had nearly drowned him in his his studio back at Network 23 was now standing in his and Jake’s living room.

“We meet again,” the man laughed.

 

“Bruno,” Edison said to the image on Theora’s control screen. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

“Not since the Sunrise/Sunset incident,” Bruno replied. “Sorry ‘bout all that.”

“No problem,” Edison said. “That’s all behind us. So what can we do for you?”

“I’ve got something to talk about if you’re interested,” Bruno offered. “Can’t promise a story, though. Not unless you can keep the Networks off our backs.”

This intrigued Edison. “I’ll see what I can do.”

 

Bryce tried to keep the furniture between himself and Parker. There was a predatory look in the man’s eyes and Bryce knew this would not just be a threat. The man was going to kill him this time.

Parker circled the sofa, his eyes focused on Bryce. They were getting nowhere. Like two horses on a carousel. Going around and around but always the same distance apart.

Bryce wondered why the man didn’t shoot him. Then realized the man didn’t have a gun. He also realized he had to get away. Taking a risk, he bolted for the door.

 

Rik dropped Edison off at Blank Bruno’s place.

“What is it you want to talk to me about?” Edison asked as Bruno led him inside.

“It’s about the old movie theater,” Bruno explained.

“ You mean the place where they killed Paddy?” There was a dangerous edge to Edison’s voice. “What of it?”

“The Blanks have taken it over,” Bruno told him. “And not as a domicile.”

 

Parker grabbed Bryce as he ran for the door.

Remembering his self-defense lessons, Bryce kicked back at him, trying to cause him enough pain to make the man let go.

Parker wasn’t stupid. He leaned back, enough to tilt Bryce out of kicking range.

“I might not have a gun,” he warned, putting a hand to the side of Bryce’s head, “But I can break your neck. And I will if you don’t stop struggling.”

Bryce’s struggles ceased. He could do nothing more. The man was clearly not going to kill him. At least not this time. A hand closed over his mouth as Parker dragged him across the living room floor.

At first he thought he was being kidnapped. But it wasn’t the front door he was being dragged towards.

 

“What do the Blanks want with the old theater?” Edison asked Bruno.

“Some of them have old cameras,” Bruno told him.

“Like Reg,” Edison said, remembering the infrared camera Blank Reg owned.

“Not just Reg,” Bruno said. “Other Blanks. Smart ones who know how to use them. And not just for making news reports either.”

Edison stared at him in wonder.

“The Blanks are making movies?”

“The only ones that are complete so far are the new educational films.”

“Like the old Crown series?” Edison inquired.

“Similar,” Bruno admitted. “They focus on politeness, responsibility, and the importance of education.”

“Sounds okay. But I can see why you’re concerned about the Networks finding out. So, when’s the grand opening?”

“This weekend,” Bruno told him. “While the Networks are focusing on the Scumball game.”

 

Bryce lay on his stomach until he was sure that Parker was gone. 

He had never experienced so much pain in his life. Struggling to his feet, he pulled his clothes back on. He felt a mixture of anger and embarrassment as he pulled the bloodstained sheets from the bed and shoved them into the washing machine.

There was no way he could let Jake know about this He didn’t want anyone to know. But he was certain he needed a doctor.

The medical center was in walking distance, so he made his way there on foot. He could feel the eyes of the world upon him as he went. Part of him felt as if the whole world could tell what had befallen him. That it was judging him. Another part told him he was just being paranoid. But that it was perfectly normal for anyone who’d just been attacked so violently.

Reaching the medical center, he got as far as the receptionist’s line, and finally collapsed.

 

Edison looked at the inside of the old theater. The set up that Mind’s Eye had once been working with was long gone, he was happy to see. Now there were only seats. Dozens of them, nearly fifty, all in neat little rows separated by two aisles.

“It’s hard to believe that so many people will watch the same show at the same time,” he remarked.

“People already do that, Mr. Carter,” Bruno pointed out. “This will just be the first time in almost two decades that they’ll be watching together in the same room.”

“And no TV set,” Edison observed.

“None,” Bruno pointed at the large projection screen at the front of the room. “The movies will be shown on that screen using what used to be called a projector.”

“What about advertisements?” Edison wanted to know.

“No ads for products,” Bruno explained. “But there will be ads for upcoming movies.”

“No ads for products,” Edison remarked, “Zik-Zak isn’t going to like that. But at least the low revenue will keep the Networks from getting too paranoid.

 

By the time Bryce had reawakened, he was prone on a hospital bed, with a doctor and metrocop standing over him.

“Do you wish to file a report?” the officer asked him.

Bryce shook his head. “I just want to go home and forget this whole thing ever happened.”

“I’ll give you a ride home, then,” the cop told him.

“It’s not far,” Bryce told him. “I can walk.”

“No, you can’t,” the doctor told him. “I just gave you twenty stitches, so you need to spend as little time on your feel as possible for the next two weeks.” 

Bryce sighed. 

“Is he ready to go?” the metrocop asked.

“Yes, he is,” the doctor replied.

When they reached Bryce and Jake’s apartment, Bryce went inside. There was still a few hours left before Jake would get home. Bryce took advantage of this to do the laundry. He was relieved when the bloodstains came out. He’d been afraid that Jake would find out. He didn’t want anyone to know. 

Especially not Jake.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17: A CARING MOMENT

 

“How was your day?” Jake asked when he got home.

Bryce shrugged and made a sad little sound. When Jake leaned forward to kiss him, Bryce turned and moved away. Bryce was certain, even after the shower he’d taken upon getting home from the hospital, that Jake would be able to smell and taste his attacker on his skin. 

“What’s wrong?” Jake asked, concernedly.

“Nothing,” Bryce muttered, not making eye contact.

Jake knew Bryce was lying. He wanted to find out the truth, but something in his gut told him not to confront Bryce.

“When you’re ready to talk, I’m ready to listen,” he said, reassuringly.

Bryce nodded, but said nothing.

“I invited a couple of my co-workers over for dinner,” Jake mentioned. “They’ll be here in an hour, so I’d better start making dinner. Why don’t you come give me a hand?”

“Think I’ll pass,” Bryce said, morosely. “I’m not really feeling great right now.”

“Do you want me to call them and cancel?” Jake asked, concernedly.

Bryce shook his head and headed for the bedroom. He stopped in the doorway for a moment, a sudden flashback striking him. He started shaking as the memory of what had happened in that room mere hours ago suddenly flooded his brain.

“Bryce?” Jake asked, rushing over to him and catching him as he began to faint. He led Bryce over to the sofa and helped him to sit. 

Then he went over to the view phone and placed a call.

“Spencer,” he said.

The man on the other end smiled “Jake, my boy! Change your mind about the dessert? I can still pick it up.”

“No,” Jake apologized. “I’m afraid I have to cancel. Bryce is sick. I don’t know what it is, but he just almost fainted. I’ve got to take care of him tonight.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Spencer apologized. “Tell him I wish him well.”

“I will, thanks.”

“I’ll tell Lucy,” Spencer offered.

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

Jake disconnected the phone and went over to Bryce.

“Do you want a glass of water?” he asked.

“Yes, please,” Bryce whispered, hoarsely.

Jake went to get the water. When he came back and handed it to Bryce, he sat down on the sofa alongside him.

“I cancelled dinner,” he said.

“You didn’t have to,” Bryce said, sounding grateful all the same.

“You’re more important to me,” Jake told him.

Bryce looked down at the floor. “Thank you.”

“I hope you’ll feel better for the Scumball game,” Jake told him. “It’s supposed to be good and I’d hate for you to miss it.”

“Yeah,” Bryce murmured, sadly. “It would be a shame.”

“You don’t seem very enthusiastic anymore. Let’s get you to bed. You need your sleep.”

Bryce stared at the bedroom door in sheer horror for moment, then composed himself.

“I think I’ll sleep out here tonight,” he said.

“Would you like some soup?” Jake asked.

Bryce shook his head.

“Just sleep,” he replied.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18: A COMPASSIONATE MOMENT

 

Jake Cheviot lie awake in bed, his mind full of questions.

Bryce Lynch, the teen genius he dearly loved, had been growing closer to him over the time they had moved in together. They hadn’t gone beyond kissing, but that in itself had been tender, and Bryce had clearly enjoyed it. 

Now, Bryce was as aloof as the day they’d first met in his studio. He’d even gone as far as to refuse Jake’s kiss. That bugged Jake a bit. Was Bryce sick, he wondered. That would explain why he’d almost fainted. And maybe he’d refused the kiss so he wouldn’t pass germs.

But what about Bryce’s emotional state? Why did he seem so sad? That could just be exhaustion. Wouldn’t Bryce be tired if he were sick? Run down?”

Jake heard whimpering from the living room.

He rushed out and saw Bryce thrashing on the sofa. Putting his hand gently on his shoulder, he shook his boyfriend until he awakened.

“Nightmare?” Jake asked, gently.

“Yeah,” Bryce replied as he calmed himself. “Sorry I woke you.”

“It’s okay,” Jake told him. “You want to talk about it?”

Bryce shook his head. The dream had been another flashback to his assault. He couldn’t tell Jake. Jake meant the world to him. If he found that Bryce had been disgraced, he might leave. Surely Jake wouldn’t want to be associated with someone with such a cloud of shame hovering over him.

Jake stood up.

“Where are you going?” Bryce asked, needily.

“Don’t worry,” Jake told him. “I’m just going into the kitchen to make you some chamomile tea.”

“When did you buy chamomile tea?” Bryce asked.

“I had some at my old place,” Jake explained. “Having my grandfather always trying to force me to live the life he wants me to have is very stressful. I find the tea helps me to relax.”

Several minutes later, Jake returned from the kitchen with the cup of tea. 

Bryce was sitting up at this point, looking a bit uncomfortable. Jake wondered about this but figured he was just a bit stiff from being sick. Maybe it was the flu. It wasn’t the season for it, but that didn’t make it impossible.

Bryce took the tea and sipped it carefully. Then he set it down and began, unexpectedly, to cry.

Jake put his arm over Bryce’s shoulders, feeling Bryce go rigid. He moved his arm and could almost see the relief coursing through the teen genius. He wondered about this, but for now, he would worry about other things.

“Was the nightmare really that bad?” Jake asked, gently.

Bryce sniffled but did not reply. He was trying to rein in the sobs. He’d never had such an outburst and he was embarrassed to have Jake see him in such a state. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, dejectedly. “I guess it was pretty bad.”

“One of those end of the world type nightmares?” Jake wanted to know.

Bryce nodded.

“Something like that,” he agreed.

“Well, you can relax,” Jake told him. “The human race might be in rough shape, but I don’t think the world itself will end for a long time.”

Bryce sipped his tea and said nothing more until the cup was empty. 

“Thank you for sitting up with me,” he finally said as he handed the cup back to Jake.

Jake set the cup down on the end table and took Bryce’s hands, feeling them tremble.

“I’ll always be here for you,” he promised. “No matter how bad things get.”

Bryce nodded.

‘They can’t get any worse,’ he thought.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19: TRUTH

Jake was in the kitchen the next morning making a cup of tea for Bryce.

“Do you want to try some toast or a muffin?” he asked.

“No thanks,” Bryce sighed.

Jake placed the tea in front of Bryce and sat beside him with his own mug which was filled with coffee.

“Sorry I kept you up last night,” Bryce apologized. 

“Bryce,” Jake asked, “are you sick, or did something happen yesterday?”

Bryce cast his gaze downward and did not speak.

Jake frowned. He wondered why Bryce was refusing to speak to him. He wanted to know why Bryce was suddenly so sad. What it was that had taken the spark out of his eyes.

“Bryce,” he asked, “do you want me to stay home today?”

“No,” Bryce shook his head, “I’ll be okay.”

“You don’t sound okay,” Jake observed. “I’ve got some vacation time coming. I think I’ll just stay home.”

Bryce didn’t respond. He simply sipped his tea and sniffed back the tears that threatened to come.

“Bryce,” Jake said, taking the tea and setting it aside, “I think we need to talk. I can’t stand to see you like this.”

“I can’t,” Bryce whispered. 

“Yes, you can,” Jake told him. “You just need to find the courage to speak. I’ll help you.”

“I’m sorry,” Bryce shook his head and went over to the sofa, curling up with his face in his arms.

Jake wanted to push the issue, to force the truth from Bryce. It was frustrating for him to see Bryce in such a state. Bryce, who had always been so self-assured. Who had so much confidence. To see him reduced to the equivalent of a kicked puppy was just not right. But Jake knew that if he did force the issue, it could destroy Bryce. He would have to be patient.

Sighing, he went into the bedrooms to get the clothes and sheets for laundry, not knowing that Bryce had already washed his. As he picked up the clothes, he thought about how he would approach Bryce later that day. He wanted to try again to unlock the secret behind Bryce’s current condition.

He took the sheets off his bed, then went into Bryce’s room and did the same. That’s when he saw the bloodstain on the mattress. It wasn’t very big, but it was still there. Jake froze in horror, understanding flooding through him as he realized what it meant.

Dropping the laundry, he went out to living room and sat on the sofa, putting a hand on Bryce’s head and gently stroking his hair.

“I won’t leave you,” he promised. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Bryce opened his eyes just a little. “Jake…”

“I know what happened, Bryce,” Jake told him. “You tried to hide it, but you didn’t see the bloodstain on the mattress itself. I know you were raped.”

A series of fresh sobs burst out from Bryce as Jake took him in his arms and just held him while they both waited for it to pass.

When Bryce’s sobs were finally spent, Jake helped him to sit up and sat with him for a long while, neither of them speaking. All Jake wanted to do was to reassure Bryce of the truth of his promise. They sat there for almost an hour before Jake spoke.

“We need to tell the metrocops,” he said.

“There’s one who already knows,” Bryce confessed. “I needed to go to the hospital after the attack. I was bleeding and needed stitches.”

“How many?” Jake asked in dismay.

“Twelve,” Bryce told him.

“Do you want to skip the Scumball game?” Jake asked. “I can give the tickets to someone else. If your injury is too sensitive...”

“I can still watch the game,” Bryce told him. “I just can’t jump around a lot when the team scores a goal.”

Jake smiled and ruffled Bryce’s hair.

“Bryce, who did it?”

“The same man who pushed me under the water when I was taking a bath in my old studio at Network 23.” Bryce said, shudder at the return of the rather unpleasant topic.

Jake’s face darkened. He went over the the view phone and punched in his grandfather’s number.

Ben Cheviot appeared on the view phone screen.

“Jake,” he said, “to what do I owe…”

“Shut up,” Jake snarled.

“How dare you speak to…”

Bryce joined him. “Mr. Cheviot?”

Ben Cheviot stared at Bryce. 

“Bryce Lynch,” he said, “what on earth are you doing at my grandson’s apartment?”

Bryce couldn’t believe that the old man hadn’t noticed his absence from the Network.

“I live here,” he explained.

“You?” Ben asked. “You’re my grandson’s boyfriend?”

“Yes, he is,” Jake said, firmly. “And I demand that you tell your hitman to stay away from him!”

“Hit…man...” Bryce faltered. He looked up at Cheviot in horror. “How could you? You pig! That man did things to me that are unforgivable.”

“Bryce…” Cheviot began.

“I quit,” Bryce told him. “I don’t want to work for you any longer. Tell Edison I’ll be more than happy to do a favor for him from time to time. But as for Network 23, you can find a new head of Research and Development.”

“I’m sorry,” Cheviot apologized.

Bryce decided that he could almost believe he meant it.


End file.
